Just another WordPress.com site

Tag Archives: kol mikaelson

Vincent explains to the Mikaelsons that in order to save Hope, he needs to divide the Hollow’s spirit and place it forever within each of the Mikaelson vampires with the aftermath being they can never see one another again. Meanwhile, the Hollow resurrects her servant Dominic and together with her acolytes, storm New Orleans, collecting other witches to serve them. Hayley confronts the Hollow but is easily beaten. When she comes to under Vincent’s care, he explains that Klaus can never see Hope which could sway his decision to undertake the spell. Hayley tells Klaus anyway as the Mikaelsons later storm the church and subdue Hope with the help of Marcel and Sofya. When Kol is presumed unable or unwilling to return, Freya decides to become a vampire to be the fourth, but Kol arrives to take her place. After the spell is cast, the Mikaelsons split with Klaus the last to leave, telling Hope he loves her. The next day, Elijah requests that Elijah and Vincent collectively help cast a compulsion spell on him so that he forgets his vow of loyalty and devotion to Klaus and his family. After doing so, he disappears. Hayley takes Hope to Mystic Falls where she and Alaric watch her interact with other schoolmates. In San Francisco, Kol prepares an engagement ring for Davina while in New York City, Marcel declares his love for Rebekah and the two reconcile. In France, Elijah performs on a piano in a club as Klaus watches his brother in the background, proud of his new life.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Take out the rudimentary plot to once more split the Mikaelsons up, tonight’s season finale garnishes a much more sentimental outlook while never truly saying goodbye to the family that has outlasted time itself. The growth of Klaus and Elijah has seen enough peaks and valleys to take this spin-off and continue to untold tales, but for the first time, I think their final scene together really told the best tale between their birth and eventual ends. As a fan of The Originals, this finale struck the right emotional chord, if not for the idea that redemption is unachievable, but that happiness can exist in their separate lives. It may not be forever, but at least collectively it was at the same time.

THE GOOD

It’s easy to dissect, but Klaus’s moments with Elijah, Marcel and Hope at the end really have given the audience an idea of what full circle can mean for the oldest hybrid. His moments of confession and letting go are what we’ve been needing to see since his time on TVD when family and companionship was all he really wanted, and to lift some curses and stuff. In the present though, he wants to be left to his fate which he presumes will be the downfall of his humanity and eventual turn for the worse. Will he simply turn into the villain again, or can he maintain as Elijah’s ever watchful brother? I’m certain season 5 will answer that very quickly.

This is honestly more neutral than it probably should be, but the idea is still sound and I refer to Rebekah and Marcel finally joined as they had started all those years ago. Rebekah simply wasn’t buying Marcel’s candid appearance, but his sincerity won her in a heartbeat and now we’re given the proverbial happy ending she always wanted. I like it because that’s what I wanted from her. Since the beginning, she wanted that companionship and love from someone, almost anyone who showed feelings toward her and time and time again, she was parted from that happy ending, until now. The only real downside is not knowing if it will last into season 5.

THE BAD

The episode contain almost zero tension and drama regarding the fate of the Hollow. Even after Dominic was resurrected, there was no innate fear that the Hollow was going to be subdued at a real heavy price, and I speak of death not the separation of the Mikaelson family, which we know if ultimately temporary as this isn’t a series finale. The Hollow, in retrospect was just really a tool to get the Mikaelsons to part ways in a very forcible manner that they would never agree to on common ground. There could be some genuine irony if something or someone had to pull them back together because of something worse appearing that only the Hollow or her power could be used against. Imagine the darkness that would need to be in those shoes.

FAVORITE MOMENT

It’s a combination of Klaus’s confession to Marcel and the last season of the episode when Klaus watches his brother with a smile. Both are his real growth moments, the heavy pieces that we’ve been waiting to see as his story is being told. At the end of the day, he knows he can’t be redeemed and now he has to suffer any ill effects of the Hollow’s damning curse alone. He’ll dabble in quiet solitude and eventually revert back to some old methods to wash away the anguish, only this time, no one will be there to console him. Maybe Freya can see him from time to time, but without his daughter, Klaus can only dream of the future he could have had and that will make him miserable for as long as the earth will have him.

CHARACTER MVP

It really should go to all four Mikaelsons with Freya too going as far as to become a vampire to keep Hayley from having to leave her daughter. Everyone shared in the grief but knew the decision had to be made. Rebekah certainly complained the most, but even she understood what had to happen. And for once, it was good to see the siblings outside of New Orleans partaking in what most people could consider a normal life.

ENDING THOUGHTS

Where does the series go from here? A season 5 has been officially greenlit and eventually this family will have to come back. Will Elijah be boundless and free forever or will something happen to Marcel to erase the compulsion he’s still under? Will he ever recognize Klaus again, and for that matter, does he understand all the aspects of his vampiric life never remembering the family he had? How absent is he eternally?

Will Klaus being aound Elijah be a serving point in the next season to bring the Hollow its power to half-strength? I can see this as a tease to that eventual return mainly because Klaus couldn’t help but be his brother’s keeper now that their roles are seemingly reversed.

Can the Mikaelsons really be around any witches at all? Freya and Davina are powerful in their own right and could be lured to bring out the Hollow in some odd way. Vincent may not account for what will happen if an Original dies. Let’s say Kol for example, meets some dark and unexpected end. What will happen to the Hollow’s power and the rest of the his siblings? There’s still a lot that can go wrong here.

I’d like the next season to jump ahead and put Hope as more of the central character moving forward. She could be at an age where her abilities manifest in some form that maybe she’s convinced that she could bring the Mikaelsons back and purge the Hollow’s spirit herself whether Vincent’s around or not. She could at least have the confidence before finding out how wrong she might be and letting the Hollow reform back again. But at least the family would be back together.

OVERALL SCORE

7 out of 10. It was an overtly sentimental finale that if pursued as the true final episode, I would have cheered with thumbs up. But it’s not, and since they didn’t know, we didn’t get a raging cliffhanger that would have certainly been worse if they never came back. What this basically means is, whatever bow they wanted to put on this series, they’re going to have to do this all over again with more sentiments and goodbyes and probably throw in a few cures to boot before we finally shut the coffin on this world forever. I’m still excited to see what they’ll come in store with, but I’m hoping they take the time to really think about a villain base that makes sense and it equally compelling as the family itself. The Hollow was not a very interesting villain and we need likeminded characters challenging the Mikaelsons in ways they’ve never been challenged before. Write those episodes and season 5 will be unstoppable. Thanks for reading. See you next season.

With Hope’s blood, Freya coats a pair of daggers for her and Hayley to use on the Hollow while Kol is tasked by Inadu to keep a totem protecting her safe. Rebekah is sent after the totem and aided by Marcel, however Kol traps them in binding spell and goes to Hope to help her undo the linking spell between Inadu and Davina. Hayley and Freya track Inadu to a derelict home but are both subdued by powerful hallucinating spells. Freya fights against a form of Keelin who plays at her fears of losing her while Hayley wakes in the bayou with a form of Jackson stalling her from waking. Klaus finds Rebekah and Marcel and learns of Kol’s betrayal then returns to the compound while Hope attempts to help Kol. Rebekah and Marcel burn the house they are in down and during an argument they kiss with Rebekah immediately regretting it. Klaus fights with Kol as Hope unbinds the spell just as Hayley and Freya free themselves and face Inadu. With the linking spell broken Davina is freed just as Hayley kills Inadu with the dagger. Klaus releases Kol who reunites with Davina as they leave the city together. Back at the compound, Freya performs the spell to resurrect Elijah while Hayley drinks at the bayou and laments her feelings for both Jackson and Elijah. She also admits to needing strength to do something hard to keep Hope safe. Later at night, Klaus puts Hope to bed not realizing that Inadu had previously performed a spell that allowed her to take possession of her.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

The Originals fought mostly as a family to put Inadu’s new mortal form to a permanent rest, however, unforeseen by them, she now has taken control of Hope in a last ditch effort to remain in the mortal plane. Hayley’s battle is likely leading her down a new path that may once again put her at odds with the entire Mikaelson bloodline, and Jackson briefly cameo’d, this time as a wicked hallucination paired against Hayley. All this and all my interest was actually on Rebekah and Marcel having their little argument that ended quite predictably in a long overdue kiss. Davina and Kol riding off into the blackened night was understandably necessary if nothing else to give Davina a more dignified ending than becoming the ancestor’s pet spirit. I’m fine with how they ended up given Kol’s strange journey over the seasons. The rest was of course the focus for Hayley which seems to be planting harder over our heads more than usual. Once again she’s turning her situation into an impossible choice, one that probably won’t involve consulting Klaus who will of course react in various yelling ways.

THE GOOD

The relationships are always a key element in these vampire stories and while Marcel and Rebekah are busy confusing themselves over what could and should have been, Davina and Kol are very keen on their plan to explore the world now that they’re free from the evil plots within New Orleans. Hayley, is still dealing with some leftover grief regarding her choice to be with Elijah versus Jackson even though she was married to him. It’s really about relationships that help create these conflicting moments, not just the bad guys manipulating events and creating ultimatums. Even Klaus, who went to the dagger as the answer, found a way to forgive Kol in the heat of the moment because Kol relied on Klaus’s feelings toward Camille to stay his hand. Those moments are far more classic than Hayley finding the strength to stab Inadu over and over. Even Freya dealing with a vision of evil-Keelin was to herself an eye-opener that inevitability of death can be anyone’s greatest fear. A lot of poignant moments came out of tonight and we didn’t even need any scenes with Elijah, though we got two.

THE BAD

Inadu’s time as herself was very short lived. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since we only have two episodes left, but I’m not the biggest fan of a spirit swapping from person to person keeping the essence of its core alive. Viewers should invest in an actor or actress as the villain to help understand their madness or their plight depending on how they’re presented. When several people portray the same villain, it can water down the effect greatly where I don’t really care one way or another how this creature manifests because we’ve lost all investment in it. I just think Inadu should have stayed in her true form until the end.

FAVORITE MOMENT

When Rebekah and Marcel’s argument led to their kiss. It was a very classic style of bickering and infatuation that I think only exists in the confines of television, but it helps lighten the mood and can shift the tone in favor for the characters in question. It was a fun moment, one that I’m glad ended with Rebekah whispering her obscenity as she walked off in frustration. I’m sure Marcel was thinking the same thing.

CHARACTER MVP

This shout-out will go to Kol this time. In the realm of family versus love, he tried to balance the scales as best he could knowing Klaus’s wrath was every near his heart. Still, in the end, he managed to get what he wanted and left relatively unscathed for the effort. His was the real victory if not a personal one and if I didn’t know better I’d say this was his final adieu until at least next season.

ENDING THOUGHTS

While Marcel’s role as king of the city has now been reduced to, which lovely lady does he confess eternal love to? I actually am rooting for him to choose Rebekah, if nothing else to finally get their frustrations from centuries of avoiding each other out. Marcel is the only person Rebekah loved that hasn’t been put to death and while it would have been better if Matt was still in the picture, I’d say Marcel is the next best thing for her if she really wants to try.

Vincent will have to come back into play for this final act considering Hope is now possessed by Inadu making this being the most powerful witch of all time. She’ll throw everyone across the room at the same time and not even think twice about it. I’m sure someone will mention some purging spell probably within the book Vincent tried to destroy a while back. Either way, Klaus and Hayley are going to have a field day when they find out what’s happened to their child.

I’m not certain the knot representing the linking spell was a good way to throw in something for Hope to do. Clearly, Kol couldn’t explain what she needed to do specifically so somehow he relied on some dark object that when properly straightened unlinked Davina from Inadu. I think we just have to accept the scene as it was and not really question it because it felt like it came out of nowhere. And the effects weren’t very good on screen either.

I wonder what the studios are doing to try and write the incoming 5th season since Inadu was really supposed to represent the end-all-be-all villain of the series. Will they skip ahead in time again or will they introduce an even greater foe for them to contend with? And of course, what stylized cliffhanger will they give us this time?

OVERALL SCORE

8 out 10. A family united can create the moments they need to succeed and be victorious against a common foe. Tonight’s Originals saw to the bitter end the original form of the hollow before it took refuge within Hope. If there’s still a sacrifice to be had to stop it, then Freya’s threat to use Marcel is still in effect, otherwise they’re in a world of trouble. Within Hayley’s struggle to fight Jackson and save the day, a few other couples shared some very heartfelt and lovingly funny moments, mostly in dealing with feelings that rarely get a chance to be explored. Though they’ve earned a respite and everyone’s well-dressed brother is back in the game, the real final battle is about to begin and the kingdom will once more be in jeopardy. Outside of a few glaring flaws, this was a brilliant episode with temptation and loyalty playing all-throughout. Only two episodes remain and a promise of one more journey in the city of New Orleans next year. Until next week, thanks for reading.

Kol and Rebekah return to New Orleans after witnessing several of Elijah’s sire-line die at a club while Freya attempts to find Elijah herself within the broken pendant. Together, Klaus and Rebekah locate and destroy all but one of the thorn-stakes leaving the last to Marcel who needs it to save Sofya. On his own, Kol tries to bargain with the harvest girls to see Davina but they refuse leaving him desperate, meanwhile Freya fails to find Elijah leaving Hayley to try herself. As she searches, Hayley finds the fabled red door which contains Elijah’s darkest aspect of his life during a time centuries ago. The Elijah within chases her but with Hope’s help, Elijah regains his sense of self and Freya stabilizes the pendant back to its full form. Later, Freya tells Rebekah that if they can’t use the Hollow to save Elijah’s body, she’ll sacrifice the only other person strong enough to see it through, Marcel. At the cemetery, Inadu finds Kol and shows him a resurrected Davina now linked to Inadu herself. Kol is now faced with serving Inadu to keep Davina safe.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

A family has mostly been reunited with a sense of familial dread on the horizon. Tonight’s Originals mark their trails that will inevitably lead to a final confrontation with the most powerful witch of all. The bulk of the episode stood for the search and rescue of Elijah’s soul, an act that built a visual landscape of doors and symbols but not really enough glimpses into his shattered past. Most dealt with reused footage of seasons past with the exception of a dark and brooding moment in time where Elijah slaughtered several innocents during a dark phase of his life. Metaphors aside, the episode was a retread into Klaus and Marcel’s symbiotic relationship and Rebekah’s echo of love for Marcel and Klaus’s voice of reason. Her return was the light of the episode while the rest was a bit of mop work in dealing with the remaining stakes with thorns. Kol’s forced allegiance to Inadu will know doubt keep the family on their toes, another decent takeaway from an otherwise sluggish plot.

THE GOOD

Both Elijah and Rebekah are the constant reminders that Klaus needs to settle down and focus more on the redemption side of things. With Elijah out of the picture, it’s up to his sister to maintain that delicate thread for the star of this show. While Elijah fights for Klaus’s redemption in a more elusive way, Rebekah is more up front with Klaus and his tired antics for stating the obvious in tumultuous times. Next to Marcel, and Klaus, Rebekah is the only other character dealing with old but necessary conflict when it comes to feelings. Kol’s relationship with Davina will be more fleshed out next week, but for now, we’re given a glimpse into Rebekah’s state of mind regarding Marcel and her love for Elijah.

The trip through Elijah’s mind did have a certain elegance that was bright and clean with the exception of a worn and withered red door that more than simplified the direction Hayley needed to go to find Elijah’s spirit. The symbols on each door could have been more exemplified but their meanings were meant for subtle remembrances that he does have moments he’s more proud of than not. It would have been more prevalent of Hayley had to force the red door open to gain entry, but maybe that would have been stacking the situation too much.

THE BAD

Elijah’s resolution felt a bit of a mess. I would have liked to have seen more examples of a broken mind and a hallway destabilizing with more weight to the situation. While we’re meant to believe that Hayley was the one person that could and did reach through to him, we missed a great opportunity to include the entire Mikaelson family in helping bring him back. There was a moment in his memories where the siblings had a dinner where everyone, excluding Finn was present and pleasant. That should have been a trigger that maybe seeing them all again would have been a stronger theme to bring Elijah from the brink of feral madness. Instead, it was Hayley alone that more or less handled the situation with a vague threat that somehow Elijah could harm her in this enclosed universe.

Inadu only made brief appearances, deciding against making a strong statement against the Mikaelson family. She’s biding her time and creating contingency plans to ensure her survival which suggests that while she’s smart enough to plan, she also desperate to stay alive which means she has vulnerabilities to exploit. She didn’t seem at first the type of person who wouldn’t outright proclaim the city as her own and control the entire populace with her power. Unless she’s holding back I feel she’s being a bit too under utilized giving the Mikaelson family a bit too much breathing room to settle their safety of Elijah and fellow kin.

FAVORITE MOMENT

Short but to the point, I liked Klaus and Rebekah’s interactions with Marcel during both of their major scenes. While there isn’t much of a reason to care about Sofya what’s important is Marcel does and Rebekah recognizes it. She’ll never truly be over him and that will probably come into play sooner than we think. For now, we’re treated with three alumni cast members putting their differences aside for a common goal, mostly. Klaus accommodated Marcel’s request at Rebekah’s mostly stern expressions and the rest we summed up through Marcel’s speed with chasing the stakes down. I like their dynamic and hope they continue to have more scenes like them in the future.

CHARACTER MVP

Klaus had a bit growth when he allowed Marcel to take the stake but Hayley had the most impact in helping to restore Elijah’s soul which was the stronger focus tonight. There isn’t much she won’t do for Elijah and given the circumstances I’m sure the situations would be reversed easily. I think she gave into fear too much when Elijah chased her given she’s a powerful hybrid but the point was she didn’t know how to deal with a feral Elijah but in the end managed to safely bring him back to his suit-wearing personality. And I’m certain she’d to it all over again in a heartbeat for him.

ENDING THOUGHTS

Kol can be a bit of a wild-card here as he’s in a position to do anything to save Davina. Does that mean he will at least tell his siblings what’s happened or will he outright betray them for the sake of his love? That’s a tough one to decipher given his track record for making brash decisions in the past. I’m banking that he won’t tell them at first until he knows for sure he can trust that they’ll help spare her because right now we have too many damsels in distress and not enough Mikaelsons to care about it.

Over the seasons it’s become clear that the only way to pit all these “good” characters against each other is to have them force to serve the villain(s) of the season. That doesn’t always make for epic showdowns when the real threats are always power and control and never really personal. Marcel and Klaus have had the best reasons to hate each other and that’s why their clash in season one worked so well, but over the years it’s become a bit thin with how they make betrayals and hard choices hinge on how desperate the good guys are to save other good guys in peril. This is also why Vincent is such a compelling character because he still makes his decisions based on those strong feelings and not because he’s being coerced all the time like Marcel, Kol, and other characters of the past. Isn’t it more potent when characters turn on eachother of their own accord?

The remainder of this season will deal with whether or not Elijah can be returned to his original body as the Mikaelsons battle the hollow and her machinations. Right now we don’t know Inadu’s endgame except that probably still filled with revenge over what happened to her so long ago. What’s really stopping her from going to the Mikaelsons straight up, screaming like a Black Canary and melting all their faces off?

It may seem trite, but I’d refrain from doing any more scenes with Elijah until we know for sure if he’s going to be brought back or die. There needs to be some emotional distance and more desperation on the part of his siblings and if we continue to go back and see how comfortable and normal Elijah is in the pendant, we won’t really see that play out. Klaus had a heartfelt moment speaking to Elijah’s corpse, something that was one-way and there’s a bit or honesty there that can only come when people like Klaus are separated from the people they care about most. It will give more time and focus to the characters in reality that can help him and truthfully, I think Elijah has played his part as well as he’s ever going to.

OVERALL SCORE

6 out of 10. The main villain bides her time and sets up a chessboard of her own to make sure she doesn’t end up a lens-flare in the bleak of existential luminance. Are two plots dealt with Hayley’s search for Elijah’s fractal spirit and the Mikaelsons searching for the remaining thorns that can kill them. Marcel pines for a character we still haven’t really invested any time in and Kol is once more obsessed with keeping Davina safe. There’s a bit of textbook arcs happening here, some of which are rethreading on familiar ground as Kol is once more the odd sibling out. Rebekah will for the moment replace Elijah as Klaus’s voice of reason and Freya continues to exert her intentions by saying she’ll kill and sacrifice whomever she has to to save her family. The last thorn-wrapped stake may still play a part in the future unless there’s nothing to be gained by threatening another Mikaelson’s life with it. All in all, it was mostly a light trip down Elijah’s memory lane and little else to showcase the real problem which was Inadu herself. Marcel tried but failed to stop her making him realize the alliance he needs, but as always, darker motives will drive these characters to be more combative than allied. We’ll see how far Inady pushes them. Thanks for reading.

Klaus and the others take up residence at Hayley’s home while Marcel and Vincent continue to search for the missing children. Klaus connects with Hope as Kol and Rebekah leave to find their own purpose. Hayley and Elijah allow Keelin to escape but Freya recaptures her and offers her a deal of freedom in exchange for scientific help on killing Marcel. Vincent and Marcel find the children but are attacked by a witch loyal to the dark force within New Orleans. After killing him, Vincent reverses the spell placed on the children only to find Hope is affected as well. Marcel allows the Mikaelsons to return to the city to cure her even though Klaus fears it may be a trap. As the children are taken to the hospital they are commandeered by Detective Will Kinney who appears to be under the influence of the dark force as well.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

It didn’t take long for some wretched element to force the oldest vampires back to their city, only this time they’ll be short a few siblings. The Originals widens the net and captures everyone into the same sinister plot involving a force directly tied to the city itself. The origin of the evil will prove fascinating as it’s always been about the city from day one. Klaus’s casual moments spent with his daughter are among the most sacred while Vincent’s past is shed one more layer revealing aspects of Eva we weren’t privy to before. Elijah and Hayley rekindle their romance which means one of them will probably be in danger soon because a show like this won’t keep too many relationships alive if not for the cyclical act of suffering to be had.

THE GOOD

Tender Klaus is a happy Klaus. What we have here is the beginning of his path to a peaceful and proper existence raising a daughter who wants to understand where she comes from. Much of the framework had been given to him by Hayley, and so far he’s staying true to Camilla’s words about being selfless and good. He’ll need help even from his enemies if he’s truly going to protect her and that will be one of the more interesting tests he goes through for the sake of saving Hope.

Vincent’s rough past with Eva now gives us some more explanation into the origin of the dark force, whatever it technically is. We now know he was going to be a father and whatever had control of him made him do things against his will and memory. Outside of that he’s very set on doing the right thing including saving Hope which will put him in Klaus’s good graces, assuming Klaus doesn’t believe it was a set up. Vincent has been a key player with good intentions toward the witch community and the citizens in general, and seeing what happened to Eva only makes his path that much more crowded in chaos than we knew. It’s starting to look more and more like he himself will become a sacrifice in some play later in the season.

THE BAD

Rebekah and Kol leaving the show once again isn’t so much as a surprise as it is a redundant foot note. There may simply not be enough plot to keep them around so excuses are made and they leave town to find themselves especially Rebekah who wants a family of some sort. How that will work is anyone’s guess, but if Hayley and Klaus can make it happen, I’m sure Rebekah will find a way too. Kol has issues and with Davina gone doesn’t have much of a place given he’s not at terrifyingly evil as he was once made out to be. Given his carefree attitude as of late I can’t imagine he’ll be taking on too many heroic quests in the near future, but hopefully Rebekah will keep him on track for the most part. It’s just a shame they may not be coming back much if at all and there’s no telling if this is in fact the final season or not.

FAVORITE MOMENT

I think it’s easily safe to say Klaus sharing those moments with Hope were particularly encouraging most specifically when they shared some acts of drawing. Having something to be good for is the first step in fighting for one’s self and Klaus rarely does anything good unless it’s in the favor of someone he cares for. It’s a beginning that will shift into something more central for him, but for now, his daughter is giving him all the “hope” he needs to be a good father. And as for the art, it was a generous way to bring them together so quickly and they needed to within the one day they had.

CHARACTER MVP

Vincent pulled a lot of weight this time around especially given the heartfelt anguish he felt when trying to save Eva only to mystically lose their child to the dark force that’s plaguing the city. If he tries to do too much he’ll probably lose more than he handle including having to once again explain that Adam is missing and may not survive what’s happening the second time around. If there’s a peaceful end, Vincent should be the one to find it, but more and more he’s suffering the fate of the martyr who just wants peace in his city.

ENDING THOUGHTS

So far, Hope is still being tied to a witch bloodline of some sort regardless of Hayley and Klaus’s hybrid lives. She’s shown to have mystical healing and an awareness of events surrounding her, but she too is just as afflicted as the other children. I wouldn’t expect her to go phoenix any time soon, but I do wonder if she’ll have a moment where her abilities burst out when Klaus or Hayley are put in danger and she witnesses it.

Freya is trying to secretly uncover a way to kill Marcel. The scientific approach is a little left field because it’s not a consistent aspect of the show. Magic and the supernatural should rarely be mixed in with scientific explanations and biological themes. If we dull down the microbiology of how being a vampire or a werewolf works, we lose some of the mysticism that shows like this provide. Freya may find this answer she needs, but it’ll seem a little cheap given her immense power already.

I expect Marcel, Klaus and Elijah to have one or two more fisticuffs before all is said and done. Maybe a few neck-snaps here and there for good measure. Once Klaus realizes Marcel isn’t behind Hope’s illness maybe they’ll bury the hatchet and move on to more pressing concerns. Marcel still may take a grand fall before this is all over, but for now, he’s settling on doing the right thing because he doesn’t want to see innocents hurt. Let’s just hope Klaus believes him from the get go.

I think it’s safe to say Kinney isn’t acting on his own accord. That could mean other humans may be easily swayed into working under the dark force, or if he is aware then the evil’s allies could be entirely numerous and unseen giving anyone free reign to be untrustworthy. Whatever the case may be, we’re likely to see more examples of this as time goes on and I’m guessing it will result in a major character death at some point before too long.

OVERALL SCORE

7 out of 10. It wasn’t going to take long for the Mikaelsons to return to New Orleans and with Hope in despair, the clock is ticking. There were some fascinating looks into Klaus’s passive performance and Vincent’s tragic past including some outward thinking from Freya, but there wasn’t anything truly captivating aside from what we found out about Eva. Kol and Rebekah leaving won’t do the show any favors but it will give Klaus and Elijah breathing room from their siblings and that’s two less Mikaelsons they have to worry about. Into the city we return as this final evil tied to the city begins waking up. But it is truly malevolent, and does it just want the city cleansed of all supernatural forces. We’ll find out soon. Thanks for reading.

Hayley, Elijah and the Mikaelson family construct a plan to free Klaus from imprisonment while Klaus deals with his fears as a father as his conscious conjures Camille to help identify and deal with the problem. Vincent tries to find the young boy, Adam which leads him to encounter a dark magical force tied to the serpent symbol which he recognizes as a strong threat. Rebekah meets with Marcel as Freya, Elijah, and Hayley find Klaus captured in a spell under the city. Unfazed by Rebekah’s threats, Marcel returns to the Mikaelson home and battles Elijah as Freya works on breaking the spell holding Klaus. Hayley intervenes on the fight but it is Klaus himself who helps them escape after forcibly pulling the dagger from his chest. Outside the city, Marcel confronts the family and lets them leave citing his mercy and vowing consequences should they return. Later that night, Hayley brings Klaus to the home where they watch Hope sleep. Klaus watches with a proud smile seeing his daughter for the first time in five years.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

Things are moving along rather quickly as Klaus is now once more reunited with his family and daughter. The Originals have secretly stormed the gates of New Orleans and came out unscathed against a foe who believes he still owns their lives. Marcel is probably correct, but will Vincent’s fear become the new focus for both sides to join in against? I’d say it’s hard to keep the Mikaelson’s out of New Orleans, but until Klaus settles back in his fatherhood shoes, I think we haven’t seen the last of his bloodthirsty and vengeful side. Very ramped episode with enough decent screen-time on all our favorite characters complete with a few noteworthy fights and enough character development for Klaus to stock up for at least a couple episodes before he likely reverts to king Klaus and the kingdom he is drawn to. Let’s hope Hope can turn that around.

THE GOOD

Klaus’s fit with understanding his fears and using Camille as a guiding force toward that realization was really well done. Projecting such personas is tricky when the core focus is understanding that all words and actions are provided by both the perception and belief of the person doing the projecting. Klaus always knew Camille to be reliably analytical and would cut to the core of most issues simplistically. This Camille really did help Klaus and didn’t act as a vengeful spirit blaming him for her death. In his mind, there were no wrong decisions, only regretful ones. Still, he gave himself the courage and fortitude to take the dagger from his chest, an act never before done until now. There’s strength to gain in such a moment and if the season is smart, Klaus will continue to build on that momentum moving toward an assured climactic battle with Marcel or something worse.

Settling on getting Klaus out of New Orleans now was a bold move considering the season doesn’t have time to dawdle on elongated plot threads. Was it too rushed? I don’t think so. What’s important to note here is family triumphs over the land and the Mikaelsons don’t need New Orleans to be at least somewhat satiated and at peace with the world. That could very well change, but for now, Elijah and the others are past those kinds of boundaries, something Marcel won’t be able to contribute because his loyalty to the city is brick-deep. There are often only a few occasions on this show when all siblings fight for the same cause, and it’s good to see that early now instead of at the end of a season.

THE BAD

We’re two episodes deep and still no glimmer of understanding the new threat caught by Vincent as he dusted off an old journal containing the same symbol seen in the city and by Hope herself. We have no name, just an awareness that it’s dark magic and whatever is controlling is has encountered Vincent before. It’s obviously witch-related, but like all witch plots, the division of magic means several possibilities here. What it wants and why we don’t know, but it stole Adam and if Hope can sense it, it might try to capture her as well. In any case, If the season is moving in a fast pace, then don’t sit on mysteries like identifying the big bad for too long. It gets tedious.

FAVORITE MOMENT

When Camille is able to convince Klaus to finally pull the dagger from his chest. Give Klaus enough incentive and he’ll move anything and everything to protect what he values and for a very long time, that dagger was one of the few things that could bring him down. Does this mean it won’t work on him anymore? I doubt it. That dagger is detrimental to keep any large power in check. Klaus believing that he should be in his daughter’s life is one more reason the light in his soul will continue to flicker until he becomes at peace with all the damage he’s caused over the centuries. Marcel wasn’t joking when he called him out as the worst monster ever made in the world considering the stacks of bodies he’s piled up since the beginning.

CHARACTER MVP

This should be given to Klaus for his mental fatigue and conversation with Camille as well as his power to escape with Freya’s help. Given the core of his issues, he’s willing to at least extend an olive branch of peace and that’s a far step than how he tends to treat his enemies. Marcel won’t make it easy, but all Klaus has to do is prove to himself he’s capable of being a good father and the rest should light his path the rest of the way.

ENDING THOUGHTS

Speculation on the villain, its abilities, and purpose can go for miles in any direction. Right now, after watching next week’s promo I’d say we’re in for a force that is usurping children either because they’re gifted in some way like Hope or because it needs their energy to harness something. It’s also hard to say if this is a single entity or a group of people. The Originals tends to deal with groups or packs of enemies and rarely will we see a single person with enough power to battle them all. Dalia was one such entity, but she was also a family member. This could be vastly different.

I briefly spoke of giving Josh a “thing to do” this season, and while he’s not entirely included on the big event he does have a relationship with a human he cares deeply for. This may get repetitive because Josh loses friends and boyfriends quite frequently on this show. Because there’s a human involved I suspect he’ll turn him into a vampire or be put in a position that he’ll need to to save his life against a life-threatening injury. Otherwise, we’re not focusing on the right elements for Josh to increase his value on the show. Josh needs to show he can make strong decisions and stand up against those who would threaten him. Physically, he’s the weakest vampire on this show, but his survivability should mean something since he’s lasted this long.

I’m hoping they don’t write Kol and Rebekah into these fits where they both “travel” to do something for find something and end up missing in action for half the season. Claire Holt does have other show commitments but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have the time to film all her sub-plots for season 4. Elijah, Freya, and Klaus are the core, but without everyone, it feels empty and they’re still a sibling short in Finn.

The next episode will probably keep the Mikaelsons away from New Orleans until the enemy that threatens them both brings everyone back together. Uneasy alliances are a course for the show and Marcel will never trust his old family again. It’ll be more poetic if Marcel has to seek Klaus out for an arrangement and not the other way around. Those are the moments that Klaus’s real devious smile comes into play.

OVERALL SCORE

8 out of 10. Tonight’s episode brought each Mikaelson a moment to capitalize on including Klaus’s mental anguish over being a parental figure in Hope’s life. Now that he’s free to pursue that path all signs point to the unexplained force that Vincent is fearful has returned from his past. Family is and always will be the core of the show notwithstanding the need to protect New Orleans from all villains close and far. The dynamic from here on out is whether protecting one’s own is enough or if that must extend to the kingdom to preserve all life within. Klaus will hold Hope’s care and protection above all, let’s just hope such decisions on that don’t include choosing between her and his siblings. Enjoyable episode and I always love it when Rebekah shines. Thanks for reading.

5 years after Klaus’s capture, Marcel continues to rule New Orleans with a truce from the witches led by Vincent. A Celtic vampire, Alistair arrives in search for Klaus for both vengeance and his blood to locate Klaus’s kindred. Out of state, Hayley discovers the last werewolf from a tribe whose venom is needed to help with Freya’s spell. After harnessing it, she wakes Freya and protects them from a pack of vampires who found them. Meanwhile, Klaus convinces Marcel to let him fight Alistair on his terms. After killing Alistair, Marcel convinces all vampires to abide by his rule and clarifies why he has kept Klaus alive. After Freya’s spell is successful, Elijah and the others are woken up and freed. Together they plan to rescue Klaus and reunite with his daughter, Hope. Within the city and in Hope’s nightmare, a symbol appears, an ouroboros which signifies the arrival of something dark and possibly witch related.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

It’s ever the tale of the uneasy alliances brought forth by family, loyalty and a deep love for the city of New Orleans. Marcel finds he can’t quite escape Klaus and his pension for giving grade A villain speeches to get the point across. With TVD fresh off their finale, The Originals are now in the spotlight to carry the torch for as long as the CW will have them. The premiere was a spark of the familiar and a fresh reminder that these are the most powerful characters still beholden by human qualities and sentiments. The Mikaelsons may share what we view as good traits and a strong passion for family, but make no mistake, they’re still brutal killers and enforcers of vengeance when crossed. This was a relatively decent opening, nothing super out of the ordinary with exception of the ominous threat that neither Vincent nor Marcel was aware of. Maybe the Mikaelsons have intel on it, maybe they don’t. Until they arrive in New Orleans, we won’t get the scoop. And I suspect one or two characters from TVD will somehow someway show up in this season, Alaric and Caroline being the heavy odds.

THE GOOD

By not stretching out the cure Hayley needed to find, we wrapped up last season’s epic closure and can now concentrate on the next big threat, whatever powerhouse the ouroboros represents. It’s probably tied to a group of people, an old power unseen since the days of the Travelers no doubt. Magic has a lot of sway in this world and given the origin of vampires and the like, who knows what this group will do or can do. Klaus is still a prisoner but he’s by no means without a sense of looming irony, drifting in and out of Marcel’s weighing conscience. The dynamic is still strong and our characters haven’t lost any sense of who they are and what they must do. Whether or not they choose to remain in New Orleans or leave for a new life is the big question. I think we can all agree Klaus isn’t going anywhere.

THE BAD

It was a bit cheap not to include Kol and Rebekah in the premiere, giving some ham excuse that they went off in super-hungry mode when they woke up. Come on, writers, don’t tease us with these “guest” appearances by the siblings that still have a lot to work out on this show. And it was surprising that Marcel didn’t go red-eyes when Alistair came off with his threats if Klaus wasn’t delivered. We remember how powerful Marcel is, but from a strategic standpoint, I didn’t expect Marcel to give in to Klaus’s request so easily considering Alistair wasn’t shown to be remarkably strong, just conceited. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy routine does get a little redundant after 4 years of it. Still, Klaus showed he can handle himself as only an Original can.

FAVORITE MOMENT

As much as I loved Hayley tearing into the vampires in her wolf form, I actually found Vincent’s talk with Klaus more impacting. The moment he mentioned Camille, you hear the score soften and Klaus’s eyes water up, knowing how much she still affects him. In some ways he may consider it a visual weakness, but his ability to care and reflect on those who believe him still good is the foundation for what makes his path so erratically complicated. If he could just get over being betrayed all the time, he might actually stand a chance at real redemption.

CHARACTER MVP

Gotta give it to Hayley for pulling through and finding a way to bring the family back. Not to mention, her astounding power as laying to waste a whole pack of vampires with her hybrid abilities, notwithstanding the awesome wolf form. She’s come a long way since her debut in TVD. I’d like to see that balance out more with her new role as a mother, but I’d say so far she’s doing great at the job.

ENDING THOUGHTS

Josh is still a dork, and needs new friends. Davina was always a good companion, but since he’s lasted this long, he might as well have an actual arc or a fitting end if he’s to matter more on this show. Think of Matt from TVD and how they can work out something on that.

At first glance, Hope seems more a conduit for predicting these big events that are incoming. One could argue, she could be a psychic, similar to Cade from TVD, but since she’s rooted in hybrid and werewolf origins, she’ll probably be more tied to those abilities assuming she’s straight up not a witch. It will also be interesting to see if she ages in real time or if her abilities make her older than intended.

One thing that this show does a bit poorly is introducing interesting vampires that get the one-shot approach and die within their debut. Alistair wasn’t the best new vampire on the scene, but considering some of the unique traits he possessed, I probably wouldn’t have minded if he had at least one more episode to be in. Last season we had the Mikaelson progeny and that was obviously done on purpose, but these one-off appearances make me realize too quickly what the result will be and it’s sadly a bit boring to witness. Make these bad-asses live a little longer or stop pretending to make them powerful at all.

In regards to relationships, the only two we’re given are re-establishing Elijah and Hayley and giving Vincent and Maxine a starting point. I’ll be keeping an eye on how many more come and go throughout this season since they probably won’t have much time to flourish given the short season they have. And if it’s the last season, who knows how they’re going to wrap things up. Will Klaus have any more chances to love outside of his grief for Camille? If she hit him hard enough, I doubt it. He’s a wounded king who loses everyone he loves. At some point you just live with that thought and concentrate on other matters, like family.

OVERALL SCORE

7 out of 10. Much time has passed, but the vampire and witch citizens of New Orleans will once again trudge the storm that is the Mikaelson maelstrom. Wrapping up last season’s cliffhanger was the best way to go and we’ll get a bit more of Marcel and Vincent tearing house against Elijah and crew before everything is settled and they have to align against a bigger threat, whatever the ominous symbol represents. Hope will be a key to stopping or understanding this threat and Klaus will of course secretly plot the end of all his enemies close and far away, it’s what he does. It’s up to The Orignals to keep this world alive and on-going for at least one more season, as it stands I believe they are in good hands. Let’s make it a great one. Thanks for reading.